Thread: Unlawful Palmetto berry thiefs!

Hello ALIPAC members!
I've been lurking for a while and finally got around to joining the good fight.
I live in Central Fla. and see the burden of the unlawful tresspassers to our country.
I own and live with my family an acre of land that has many saw palmetto plants on it.

The Machette weilding Tresspassers migrate to my area to steal then re-sell the fruit for medicinal purposes. (online research shows that in some cases they may get $2.00 apound for the berries.)

I'ver called the local lawenforcement several times.
The last time an Officer responded to my call, she said "their harmless, they only want the Berries, they don't make very much from the sales."

I'm thinking if I come to your house and only take pennies and nickels, then it's ok??

The thiefs never ask permission and have been seen taking Gopher turtles. The turtle eat the berries and are a protected species of Florida.
(the turtle part really burns my shorts )
I was told that if I met them with a firearm, I would go to jail, and to just ignore them.
The Officer made me feel like I was a nut for wanting the armed intruder off my land, she seemed almost simpathetic to the thiefs!
As a father and husband, I must protect my family.

Am I wrong for not wanting an armed thief who chooses not to speak English on my property?
I know this is a larger problem further south, does anyone know what recourse I have?

Sorry to jump in with a long post, but I'm fed up and need some other insight.

Sincerely, Jim

Welcome Jim. I'd be really mad too if people were taking or otherwise doing harm to wild creatures on my property!

Do you have "No Trespassing/Private Property" signs posted around the borders of your property? I'm wondering if you would have additional legal recourse if people are still trespassing despite the postings? I definitely would not back down on this because you don't know what might be next. Today it's a plant, tomorrow it's something from your garage or porch, then a break-in?

Welcome to ALIPAC, Jim!

I think the first thing I would do is talk to some of your fellow citizens who share your problem and send a certified letter to the chief of police saying just what you've said here. The next time the cops come out, get Badge #'s and demand that a report be filed. Write a letter to the city council and send a copy to the newspaper. Use a video camera or picture phone to document the trespass.

In other words, RAISE HELL!

Welcome to ALIPAC, Jim !!

Hi,
Yes, I do have the signs up, and I feel the same about "what's next"
The thiefs usually move on before the Police come.
Once they are off my property, The police can't arrest them based solely on my word.( they did say they would arrest them if they caught them on my property, though)

As with all areas, the police are stretched thin, and their responce time was a little over 2 hours.

Oddly enough the dispatcher asked me how I knew they are tresspassers? I olny live here, and have chosen to be an active part of my community.
I, for the most part, know who belongs here and who is up to no good.

As I sit here holding my newborn Son, I have to wonder what will it be like for him?

Thanks for the support.

Sincerely, Jim

Thanks for the welcome!
I guess I need to turn up the heat.
I hope the the Florida Wildlife Commission and other agencies will be interested in my plight.
I have also spoken to several neighbors who feel the same way as I do. They told the thiefs to put the turtles back, I guess the thiefs chose to understand that!
Luckily, the neighbor is a rather large man, some may refer to him as a Red Neck!! lol

Sadly, I may have to wait till next year to video document these armed tresspassers. As they've already moved on to a different area.

We got tag numbers and vehicle descriptions and informed the police with this info.

Thanks for the advice.

Sincerely, Jim

Welcome Jim!

Call wildlife protection about the turtles. They are most likely killing the turtles because they are eating your/their crop. You might contact other animial protection agencies to bring the problem to the press. The public may not care about your missing berries but they might get upset about the turtle. Either way, you are getting what you want. You just have to be creative. Illegal Aliens vs Green Peace. My money is on GP.

The next time an officer comes out and doesn't do anything, call the superviser on duty. Call 9-11 back... raise a stink. If there is a law being broken and the cops are over looking it, raise Sam Houston.

Dixie

I would be getting a video of them back there, an as close as you can to their license plates so they can be tracked down, keep up the pressure on the local sheriffs office and start making yourself a nuisance to the local politicians.

Remember, it's the squeeky wheel that gets the most oil!!!

As well, welcome, and stay with us. We can use as many voices as possible, this is a big country (I live thousands of miles away from you, and a whole different climate than you, it shows, I do not know what a palmetto nut is!!) and this problem of illegal immigration is affecting all of us.

Jim, the other thing I thought of if you're concerned about your safety or intruders is you might want to have a guard dog who barks good an loud....I'm not suggesting an aggressive dog, but one who knows his territory and will alert you if anyone comes around.

Originally Posted by I_pledge_allegiance

Hello ALIPAC members!
I've been lurking for a while and finally got around to joining the good fight.
I live in Central Fla. and see the burden of the unlawful tresspassers to our country.
I own and live with my family an acre of land that has many saw palmetto plants on it.

The Machette weilding Tresspassers migrate to my area to steal then re-sell the fruit for medicinal purposes. (online research shows that in some cases they may get $2.00 apound for the berries.)

I'ver called the local lawenforcement several times.
The last time an Officer responded to my call, she said "their harmless, they only want the Berries, they don't make very much from the sales."

I'm thinking if I come to your house and only take pennies and nickels, then it's ok??

The thiefs never ask permission and have been seen taking Gopher turtles. The turtle eat the berries and are a protected species of Florida.
(the turtle part really burns my shorts )
I was told that if I met them with a firearm, I would go to jail, and to just ignore them.
The Officer made me feel like I was a nut for wanting the armed intruder off my land, she seemed almost simpathetic to the thiefs!
As a father and husband, I must protect my family.

Am I wrong for not wanting an armed thief who chooses not to speak English on my property?
I know this is a larger problem further south, does anyone know what recourse I have?

Sorry to jump in with a long post, but I'm fed up and need some other insight.

Sincerely, Jim

Hi Jim, I live in Jacksonville, I would love to see Florida really jump in the fight over illegal immirgration. Jacksonville never used to have illegals here trying to find work. In the last 2 years I have seen them flood our city. I walked into walmart the other day, and I thought I was in Mexico.

Our country is in trouble.